10 Notorious Banned TV Episodes, From Friends To Bluey

While no network ever plans to have episodes go unaired, pulled from syndication, or removed from streaming services, there have been several notoriously banned TV episodes over the years. This can be due to controversial content, behind-the-scenes issues with the performers involved, or even unforeseen medical reasons. From children’s animation to family-friendly sitcoms, many infamous episodes have garnered their fair share of controversy and had to be banned either temporarily or removed entirely.

Some of the most controversial TV episodes of all time have been subject to censorship and had their planned broadcast changed or interfered with. While viewers may not associate the kid-friendly animated series Bluey with controversy, even this well-meaning show produced an episode that’s currently not available on streaming. Even though Friends was a sitcom beloved by millions across the globe, one notorious episode was banned by TV networks that took issue with its representation of LGBTQ+ content.

10 Pokémon (1997 – Present)

Season 1, Episode 38: “Dennō Senshi Porygon”

While many of the most notorious banned TV episodes related to controversial content that pushed against societal taboos, this was not the case for this infamous Pokémon episode. “Dennō Senshi Porygon,” also known as “Electric Soldier Porygon,” was controversial due to the inclusion of repetitive visual effects that accidentally caused seizures in many viewers. The episode was only broadcast once in Japan in 1997 when over 600 children were hospitalized due to strobe lights featured in one scene (via Skeptical Inquirer.)

This banned Pokémon episode caused viewers to experience blurred vision, headaches, dizziness, and nausea. In extreme cases, audience members suffered from seizures, blindness, convulsions, and unconsciousness, and it was reported that 685 viewers, 310 boys and 375 girls, were taken to hospitals by ambulances. “Dennō Senshi Porygon” led to changes in television standards, and a set of guidelines around the use of flashing images was established to ensure the incident was not repeated.

9 Sesame Street (1969 – Present)

Season 23, Episode 19: “Snuffy’s Parents Get a Divorce”

For more than 50 years, Sesame Street has been educating children on complex issues as it made familial problems and difficult circumstances understandable to young viewers. One episode from 1992 attempted to explore divorce as it showed the elephant-like Muppet Mr. Snuffleupagus’s parents splitting up and the puppet characters experiencing the difficult feelings this brought up. While “Snuffy’s Parents Get a Divorce” was supposed to comfort children going through a difficult time, it actually had the opposite effect.

“Snuffy’s Parents Get a Divorce” never even made it to air as test screenings revealed that children were confused by its message and misunderstood its content (via Mental Floss.) The Sesame Street episode resulted in some children worrying that if their parents fought, a divorce was imminent and that if they did split up, parents would no longer love their children. The failure of this episode before it even made it to air meant that Sesame Street did not address the subject of divorce until many years later, in 2012’s initiative Little Children, Big Challenges: Divorce.

8 Married… With Children (1987 – 1997)

Season 3, Episode 10: “I’ll See You in Court”

The FOX sitcom Married… with Children was the antithesis of the happy American television family as it embraced the rude and the crude. However, behind the often raunchy comedy and dysfunctional nature of the Bundy family, they still loved and cared for one another, and the episodes were filled with valuable, family-friendly themes. However, some episodes pushed the network too far, and one episode set to air in 1989 was not broadcast in the United States until 2002.

This was Season 3’s “I’ll See You in Court,” which saw Al and Peg wanting to spice up their marriage by going to stay at a seedy hotel, only to find a sex tape of their neighbors Steve and Marcy that had been recorded without their consent. This controversial development led them to take the hotel to court and try to get compensation for this shocking and illegal act. Long considered a lost episode of the series, “I’ll See You in Court” eventually aired during re-runs on FX.

7 South Park (1997 – Present)

Season 5, Episode 3 “Super Best Friends”

As a series that’s no stranger to controversy, South Park has had several banned episodes over the years, but perhaps the most fascinating one was “Super Best Friends.” This Season 5 episode featured several religious figures and depicted the prophet Muhammad, an act that some followers of Islam believe is not permitted. The episode actually aired on July 4, 2001, with very little controversy, and it was only a few years after “Super Best Friends” was banned.

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone ran into trouble after the episodes “200” and “201” also featured an image of Muhammad, and they received Islamist death threats in 2010, which led to all the episodes being pulled from syndication. The South Park Studios website no longer streams “Super Best Friends,” and it cannot be purchased from their online stores. The controversy meant that when South Park transferred to HBO Max in 2020, five episodes, which also included “Cartoon Wars Part I” and “Cartoon Wars Part II,” would not be available on the platform due to references to Muhammad.

6 The Simpsons (1989 – Present)

Season 3, Episode 1: “Stark Raving Dad”

While The Simpsons has had several banned episodes, one notorious episode only became controversial decades after it was first aired. This was the third season premiere titled “Stark Raving Dad,” which featured Homer in a mental institution with a man who claims to be Michael Jackson. As the character was actually voiced by the late pop star himself, the episode was pulled from circulation in 2019 following renewed allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson.

“Stark Raving Dad” is the only episode of The Simpsons that’s banned worldwide on Disney+ and was pulled around the same time the Leaving Neverland documentary was released, which featured interviews from men who alleged Jackson abused them as children. With the episode featuring Jackson’s character befriending Bart and writing a song together, it’s no surprise Disney+ pulled the episode entirely.

5 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Season 4, Episode 3 “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest”

While It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has always pushed the boundaries of what can be depicted onscreen, there are some episodes that can no longer be streamed (via Collider.) One notorious example of this was Season 4’s “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest,” which was the first episode to introduce Dee Reynold’s infamous character of Martina Martinez. As one of the wannabe actresses’ characters, Martina was controversial because the white actress Kaitlin Olson portrayed her in full blackface.

The representation of race in Always Sunny has always been a difficult subject because the creators were well aware of the controversy surrounding portrayals like this and satirically commented on these issues. The same difficulties arose with Mac’s characters’ use of blackface to portray Roger Murtaugh in the gang’s fake Lethal Weapon movies. The nuances of Martina Martinz’s characterization are easily misunderstood, and it appears streaming services have decided it’s better to pull episodes like this altogether.

4 Cow And Chicken (1997 – 1999)

Season 2, Episode 7A: “Buffalo Gals”

Even though Cow and Chicken was a Cartoon Network series aimed at children, it was packed with adult humor and jokes that often went over kids’ heads. One episode that pushed this a little bit too far was “Buffalo Gals,” which featured a group of butch female bikers that acted as a crude representation of lesbian stereotypes (via CBR.) As an episode that was quickly banned after it initial aried, “Buffalo Gals” was packed with sexual innuendos and raunchy, mean-spirited, and far from subtle humor.

The gang depicted in “Buffalo Gals” favorite sport was softball, a notable lesbian stereotype that’s made even cruder as they were depicted literally munching on carpets. This obvious and crass attempt to depict LGBTQ+ stereotypes feels shocking today and highlights how much children’s entertainment has changed in the decades since Cow and Chicken first aired. While this series was often raucously funny, “Buffalo Gals” missed the mark and was just too offensive for an audience of young children.

3 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Season 3, Episode 18, “Earshot”

Occasionally, TV episodes can become controversial due to the bad timing in which they are scheduled to air. This was certainly the case for “Earshot” from Season 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which had its broadcast postponed as a result of the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. This Buffy episode was temporarily banned as it featured a high school student loading a rifle in what initially looked like a planned school shooting.

However, “Earshot” was actually an exploration of a deeply troubled student who had been planning to commit suicide and further explored Buffy’s themes around the high school experience. Following the Columbine massacre, media consumption was a hot topic as the effects that violent concept was having on impressionable teenage viewers became a source of debate. With this in mind, the broadcast of “Earshot” was delayed several months and eventually aired in September 1999.

2 Bluey (2018 – Present)

Season 2, Episode 13: “Dad Baby”

As the story of a young blue puppy, Bluey teaches life lessons to preschoolers in a simple and educational way that they can understand. This has made the series highly successful, as its constructive parenting messages showcase a positive depiction of everyday family life. However, one episode garnered some controversy and, as a result, was banned on Disney+, although it can still be viewed on Bluey’s official YouTube channel.

This was the second season episode “Dad Baby,” where Bluey’s father, Bandit, experienced what things were like for his wife, Chili, as Bandit pretended to be pregnant. While this was a harmless enough exercise in imagination, the controversy related to a scene where Bandit pretended to give birth, and although there was no graphic imagery, it appears Disney felt this took things too far. As a show aimed at very young children, “Dad Baby” was just a little bit too unusual to make it to streaming in the United States.

1 Friends (1994 – 2004)

Season 2, Episode 11: “The One with the Lesbian Wedding”

Although many things from Friends haven’t aged well, it must be admitted that, despite a lack of ethnic diversity and a litany of stereotypes, it was still quite progressive when it came to LGBTQ+ representation. While jokes about Chandler Bing’s transgender father can feel mean-spirited with the power of hindsight, the same-sex relationship between Ross’s ex-wife Carol Willick and her partner Susan Bunch was always presented as loving and stable. Despite the occasional joke having an aura of 1990s homophobia, Carol and Susan’s relationship was depicted as being valid and accepted.

However, one episode that caused commotion was Season 2’s “The One with the Lesbian Wedding,” where Carol and Susan finally decided to tie the knot. As the second gay marriage ever shown on a sitcom, some TV networks took issue with its concept, as KJAC-TV in Port Arthur, Texas, and WLIO in Lima, Ohio,⁠⁠ refused to air the episode (via Pink News.) This was a real shame, as the surprisingly poignant episode saw Ross accepting Carol and Susan’s relationship and, after his ex-wife started to get cold feet on the day, actively encouraging her to go through with it.

Sources: Skeptical Inquirer, Mental Floss, ,Collider, CBR, Bluey YouTube, Pink News